Hey, Al

Title: Hey Al
Story by: Arthur Yorinks
Pictures by: Richard Egielski

Summary: Hey, Al is about a custodian named Al and his dog named Eddie. While Al seemed to enjoy their simple life, Eddie demanded much more. One day while Al was in the bathroom, a large bird flew by and began to speak to Al. He offered Al and Eddie to come to a place of true beauty. While Al was reluctant, Eddie was persistent till they both agreed to visit the island. Everything was great for the two until Al realized they were both turning to birds. The two fled the island to return to their simple life. 


My opinion: Another caldecott winner, Hey Al's illustrations are phenomenal. (Eddie the dog is really cute!). The story takes readers on a fantastic journey to a magical place. The reader is able to physically witness the transformation of the two friends in near disturbing fashion. The book leaves the readers some nice messages such as, the grass is always greener on the other side, and paradise lost is sometimes heaven found. I absolutely loved this book. When i began to read it I swore it was new to me but once the Al and Eddie began to change, I had a flashback to reading the story as a young child. I would recommend this book to all ages, as the lesson is a valuable one that we often forget.